NEWS STORIES
Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association AGM You are invited to join us at our Annual General Meeting, which will be held in the Cuillin Hills Hotel, Portree, on Monday 9th June 2008 at 7 pm.
A light buffet and refreshments will be served at the end of the Meeting.
Pat Gordon Good Neighbour Award
The winner of the Pat Gordon Good Neighbour Award this year is Chrissie MacInnes of Toravaig Court in Teangue. Chrissie was nominated by her neighbour Colin Threlfall (who won the award last year). Chrissie was awarded the prize of £150 of Marks & Spencers vouchers for all the good turns she does for various neighbours. She is looking forward to her shopping trip to Inverness.
A Joint 2nd prize of £50 was shared by Diane Nicolson and Rachel Beaton of Ascrib Place, Portree. Diane and Rachel organised the first Street Party in Ascrib Place when neighbours, friends and family were invited to the street for food and drink, and live music. There is a real community spirit in the street. Diane and Rachel look after each other’s children, enabling them both to work.
Diane was awarded £25 vouchers for the Co-operative, and is going to purchase items for her garden. Rachel was awarded £25 B&Q vouchers and is going to put this towards new flooring for her daughter’s bedroom.Retirement of Committee Member - and arrival of new Committee Member
Billy Ross, who has been a member of the Management Committee for 12 years, announced his retirement at the end of March 2008. The Association would like to thank Billy for the valuable contribution that he made during his years of service. We wish him all the best for the future.
Mr William Brown, a tenant of the Association, has agreed to become a Committee Member. Mr Brown, who is originally from Clydebank, is a social worker working with families affected by disability, We look forward to his input to the Committee.
Low Cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT)
Would you like to purchase a property on the open market but think you cannot afford to? The Scottish Government under a range of incentives are funding a pilot scheme called LIFT (Low-cost Initiative for First-Time Buyers). Please click here to see the LIFT leaflet.
Please contact Albyn Enterprises on 01349 855991 if you have any queries.
Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers Project The Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers Project website has very recently been launched. Please visit their website. www.skyeyoungcarers.co.uk.
Skye & Lochalsh Association for Disability Wider Role Grant Funding of £13,000 was awarded to Skye & Lochalsh Association for Disability to help upgrade the kitchen and provide tables and chairs for a small cafe in The Old School, Kyleakin. This grant was achieved through working with the Development Services department of Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association.
Digital Switchover
Starting in 2008 and ending in 2012, TV services in the UK will go completely digital, TV region by TV region. This process is called digital switchover. The UK’s old television broadcast signal - known as analogue - is being switched off and replaced with a digital signal. Any TV set that is not converted to digital when the switchover takes place will no longer receive TV programmes.
If you would like more information, please click here to go to the Digital TV FAQs website.Rag Tag 'n' Textile Collective A Skye social enterprise developed from a local craft group is set to offer employment opportunities for people with mental health issues and disabilities.
The Rag Tag 'n' Textile Collective is being part-funded by over £17,000 from Communities Scotland's Wider Role programme, which encourages housing associations to develop projects that help make life better for local communities.
As well as providing employment opportunities, the project aims to divert waste textiles from landfill by re-using them to create products for the fashion industry and soft furnishings. It also provides training in traditional handcrafts such as sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving and rag rug making.
The money will help Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association support the employment of a business manager and a part-time assistant for the collective as well as finance the general running costs of the business.
David Nicol, Communities Scotland's area director for the Highlands and Islands, said: "This project tackles an important support need for people on Skye and Lochalsh. The collective's ambitious plans will bring support to help vulnerable people living on the island into training and work.
"Communities Scotland's funding through the Wider Role programme will help it kick-start these efforts as well as develop its business and become financially sustainable in the long term."
Lachie MacDonald, director of Lochalsh and Skye, added: "Lochalsh and Skye is delighted that Communities Scotland is funding collective through a Wider Role award. This funding will help towards creating jobs, training people in hand craft skills, reducing waste and lowering the stigma associated with mental health issues."
Please click here to go to the Rag Tag 'n' Textile website.New Management Committee Members required The Association is urgently seeking new Management Committee Members. To download an application pack and read more information, please click here to go to Management Committee page on the website.
The Calman Trust Information Exchange Project The Calman Trust in Inverness have an Information Exchange project which aims to involve young people in sharing advice and information about leaving home, transition etc. The idea behind this is to address some of the ‘leaving home’ issues that might ultimately lead to homelessness (the focus of the project is not on homelessness, but is more about the things that every young person will need to consider as they leave home). A website which aims to provide information and advice on all sorts of youth issues has recently been launched. You can access it at www.leavinghomeinthehighlands.org. The website is not fully completed yet, but still offers some very useful information.
In addition, there is a forum on the site http://www.leavinghomeinthehighlands.org/forum/category-view.asp, where young people can discuss a variety of subjects online.
Highland Housing Register The Association, in partnership with Highland Housing Associations and The Highland Council, are working towards a common Allocations Policy and Application Form.
For more information, please click here to go to The Highland Council's website.
Property Survey The Association is required by the Scottish Quality Housing Standards to carry out surveys on all of our properties in order to ensure compliance with current standards. The Association hopes to complete these surveys over the next six months.
The survey looks at room sizes, electrical fittings, heating systems, window and door fittings. A change in Building Regulations has meant that part of the survey involves measuring and assessing possible future works required to be carried out to the properties in order to meet the new regulations.Energy Saving Tips There are lots of simple things you can do right now to reduce carbon emissions and help prevent climate change. You will also see a difference in your pocket, as the average household can save over £100 per year by carrying out some small changes.
Please click here for more information.
Any Suggestions? If anyone has any ideas, suggestions or comments, please send them to our mailbox at info@lsha.co.uk or phone them in to us on 01478 612035. You might like to suggest articles for the Association's next newsletter, or share useful information with other tenants.
The
Association is registered with Communities Scotland as a Registered
Social Landlord (No. 324) and with the Financial Services Authority
(No. 2132RS).
The Association is a Scottish Charity No.SC038019